Engine-shaft.



Patented mp7, |902. .L L. cLAYLANn. 1'

ENGINE SHAFT.

(Applotion led Har. 25,` 1901.)

(In Model.)

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' A fr0/MfrsA NrTED e STATES PATENT OFFICE.

f JAMESL. OLAYLAND, OF FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS.

.ENGINE-SHAFT.

SPECIFICATION forinng part ofY Letters Patent No. 690,835, dated January7, 1902.

Appnaaon meanrat 25.1991. serai No. 52,828. (No modem To all' whom,tm/ay concern.: Y

Be it known that I, JAMES L. CLAYLAND, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at For-t Smith, in the countyofSebastian and State of Arkansas,`have invented a new and useful Shaftfor Marine and other Engines, of which the following is aspecification.l

My invention relatesto that class of mechanism by which reciprocatingmotion is converted into rotary, and is particularly appli-I cable tomarine and 4other engines as a substitute for the ordinary crank-shaft.As is well known, the ordinary crank has but two points where full poweris exerted and two dead points or centers where no power is applied.

The invention is embodied in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts hereinafter described whereby the reciprocatingmotionvof two pistons is applied to two spirally-grooved shaftsthroughthe vmedium of rotatable sleeves or hollow cylinders carrying adevice which engages the spiral grooves.

The details are asn follows, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a side view of an apparatus embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is aplan view. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on theline 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section at right angles tothe section shown in Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig-'2, two shortand broad steam-cylinders A are arrangedside by side, their pistons (not shown) being connected with parallelrods F, which 'are secured by means of clamps Eto theends of twoparallel boxes B. Two spirally-grooved shafts D extend through the saidboxes and have bearings G, which are bolted to a stationary bedortimbers I. One of these-shafts is continued, as shown at X, to formthe power or driving shaft for any mechanism requiring to beV driven.The said shafts are provided with meshingv spur-gears O, so they bothrotate together. to the cylinders A are reduced, as shown at W, the samebeing conical and tted in conical sockets (not shown) in the bearings G.Each shaft D has two spiral grooves, one of which is pitched in adirection opposite the other. Each shaft passes through a rotatablesleeve or hollow cylinder L, (see Fig. 4,)

The ends of the shafts D adjacent the said sleeve being provided with adevice SforengagingthespiralgrooveK. Asshown, the said device consistsof a screw-pin having a roller P on its inner'end, the said rollerfitting in the spiral 'groove K and traveling '3. The ends of thesleeves L are lprovided with lips or flanges Z, which abut the ends ofthe boxes B, as shown in Fig. 4. Antifriction rollers or balls O arearranged adjacent to the flanges Z, as shewn. l

Each sleeve or cylinder L has circumferential grooves which are providedwith ratchetteeth V. One set of these grooves has teeth projecting inone direction and the other set teeth projecting in. oppositedirections. As shown in Fig. 3, the pawl R, 4having a pivoted head Y, isarranged in a recess in the upper half of the boxes Bv and adapted'forengagement with a coincident, ratchet V of the sleeve L. Rods J vpassthrough the boxes B, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) and to each of them y aresecured two pawls R, which project in opposite directions. (Seey dottedlines, Fig. 3.) When the rod J is rotated inl one direction, one of thepawls R is .dropped into engagement with one set of ratchets V and theother pawl will be removed from engagement with the ratchet whose teethproject in the opposite direction. It is therefore apparent that by thismeans the direction of rotation of the shafts D may be controlled asdesired. As

.a means for shifting-that is,lrotating-the rods J, and thereby throwing `one .of their sets of pawls into engagement with the ratchets V,I employ levers H, (see Figs. 1 and.2,) which are fixed upon'theopposite rods J and pivoted together at their inner ends, and one ofsaidv levers is extended to form a handle by which they may beconveniently manipulated-z'. e., raised or depressed, as the case maybe--to effect adjustment of the pawls R.

It will be understoody that the sleeves L revolve free with the shaftsD, except when locked by the pawls R, in which case the shafts will berotated as the piston-rods F reciprocate.

IOO

It will be further understood that two of the boxes B act on and rotatethe shafts as they go out-that is to say, as the boxes f move outwardfrom the cylinders A-the grooves being so arranged that the shafts arerotated in opposite directions, and in the reverse movement the othertwo boxes rotate the shafts in the same manner. Thus the reciprocatingmovement of the piston-rods F is converted into continuous rotary motionof the driving-shaft X.

It will be seen that since there are two shafts the boxes B are guidedthereby and no trackway or other supplemental guide is required, wherebyfriction is avoided and power saved.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with two reciprocating piston-rods, of boxes securedthereto, spirally-grooved sleeves or cylinders arranged in said boxesand provided with circumferential ratchets of opposing pitch, twospirallygrooved shafts which vare engaged with the sleeves, and pawlsadapted for engaging the ratchets, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with two piston-rods, and boxes secured thereto andadapted to reciprocate therewith, of two parallel shafts which aregeared together and each provided with two spiral grooves pitched inopposite directions, a sleeve or cylinder having a device engaging thespiral grooves, and circumferential ratchets as described, pawlsprojecting in opposite directions and adapted to engage opposingratchets, and means for shifting said pawls for reversing motion,substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with piston-rods arranged parallel and two shaftsalso arranged parallel between the piston-rods and provided with spiralgrooves pitched in opposite directions, gears applied to said shafts andmeshing as described, sleeves or cylinders having flanged ends andapplied to the spirallygrooved shafts, a device which locks the saidcylinders with the said shafts, pawls projecting in opposite directionswithin the boxes, rods on which said pawls are secured, and levermechanism for adjusting the pawls, substantially as shown and described.

JAMES L. CLAYLAND.

lVitnesses:

H. A. WARTMAN, HENRY FEWSTUE.

